How can I identify the SMTP provider from an MX record?
Summary
What email marketers say8Marketer opinions
Email marketer from Neil Patel's Blog shares that MX records indicate which servers are configured to receive email on behalf of a domain. By examining the MX records, you can often identify the email service provider responsible for handling email for that domain.
Email marketer from Reddit shares that analyzing the hostnames listed in the MX records can often reveal the email provider, especially if the hostnames contain the provider's name (e.g., smtp.google.com, mx.zoho.com).
Email marketer from StackExchange explains that tools like `nslookup`, `dig`, and online MX lookup services can be used to query MX records. The results will show the mail servers, and their associated domain names often reveal the email provider.
Email marketer from DigitalOcean explains that MX records contain a priority and a hostname. The hostname is the server accepting inbound mail. It is possible to find which ESP is used by reading the hostname.
Email marketer from Reddit shares that dig and nslookup can be used to identify the MX record. The records will highlight the required hostname and associated priority. With the hostname being easy to read, it's possible to identify the responsible ESP.
Email marketer from WhatIs.com explains that an MX record is a DNS record that specifies the mail server responsible for accepting email messages on behalf of a domain. The MX record will point to the ESP being used.
Email marketer from Email Geeks suggests that the brand is likely brand.safesysmail.com based on log analysis.
Email marketer from Reddit recommends utilizing online tools such as MXToolbox or DNSWatch to lookup the MX record. The resulting hostname, along with its priority, will show the relevant servers and, therefore, which ESP is used.
What the experts say7Expert opinions
Expert from Email Geeks responds to a question about single point of failure, shares that SMTP has its own redundancy, so it is not a single point of failure.
Expert from Email Geeks explains that *.safesysmail.com is wildcarded to a single IP that accepts inbound mail on port 25. Brands are set up to MX to the whitelabel wildcard domain as primary, and smtp.safesysmail.com as secondary.
Expert from Spam Resource explains that MX records tell the internet where to send email for a domain. You can query these records to determine the mail server responsible, which often reveals the SMTP provider.
Expert from Email Geeks explains a method for identifying the provider involves using Google to search the MX name and identifying <https://www.safesystems.com/> as a potential match.
Expert from Email Geeks shares that based on Domaintools passive DNS tool analysis, many banks point to smtp.safesysmail.com as their MX, indicating that SafeSystems.com likely provides outsourced SMTP services for banks.
Expert from Email Geeks shares that there is no reliable mechanical way to determine a company name from a hostname and suggests using Google and reading the context for a more successful approach.
Expert from Word to the Wise shares that by examining MX records, you can often deduce the Email Service Provider (ESP) a domain uses. This is because the MX records point to the mail servers of the ESP handling email delivery.
What the documentation says4Technical articles
Documentation from Cloudflare shares that MX records are essential for email routing and specify the mail servers responsible for accepting email messages on behalf of a domain. Examining these records allows you to determine which provider handles email services.
Documentation from Google Workspace Admin Help explains that you can find the SMTP server hostname in the MX record. Use a DNS lookup tool and query for the MX record of the domain. The hostname with the lowest preference number is typically the primary SMTP server.
Documentation from RFC Editor explains that RFC 5321 defines the standards for SMTP mail routing. It explains that the MX record is how SMTP finds the correct server. Querying for the MX record of the recipients domain is best.
Documentation from MXToolbox explains that their MX Lookup Tool queries the DNS records for a domain to identify mail servers and their priority. This helps identify the servers responsible for receiving email and can indirectly point to the email provider.